The Farmer's Daughter
by CreativityMichaelson
Summary: Merle runs away from home, this we know, but what really happened? No one knows. Well, he went somewhere great and amazing to heal only to have it shattered into a million pieces, causing him to loose hope in all of humanity. Merle/OC


The world isn't a place of one language.

In fact there is 7,000 different languages in the world today that is known but that's not including change of dialect as in some countries like India, Africa, and Korea the language changes ever so slightly but no one really know why this happen, it just does and has for many, many years. You can talk with your hands even for those who don't verbally speak do to the lack of ability to hear, this also changed depending where you so. There is no universal sign language to this day, and why isn't there? One would think that this would be the most handy thing to have for them so they could go anywhere and know how to communicate. Perhaps… the deaf community didn't want an easy way out? Perhaps they want to learn a new… signing language for when they travel like many non-deaf travelers do? That seems like a logical explanation, and there are probably many great explanations in the world about this topic, but that's not the point. The point is although we don't have one universal language where you can go from America to Japan or Africa to Russia and speak to someone without a problem, there is one thing that communicates to anyone better then a real language. That would be love.

Love is something that one person can transfer to another by a look in their eyes, the position of their body, or the message that's clearly written on one's face, and like a contagious disease on lookers, pass-byers and so on can feel their love for whatever and improve their attitude. It's a marvelous thing, love, that is. It's so powerful, universal, and anyone can understand it, plain and simple. However just like with any language, there is a bad side to love and that is heart break, or loss of love. If love is powerful, then heart break is over-ruling. Love makes you smile, and you just understand what is happening- while heart break makes you stop and you suffer with that person, continue to think about that person for days to come, and sometimes never forget the person you saw no matter how hard you try. Why? Well it's because that one person, can make you relive the most horrifying experiences in your life when you experienced heart ache. You can not think about that person for a short amount of time, but something, someone, someplace will make you remember like a curse, and there is no cure.

Why do we find it so hard to let go? After all if we could do that so easily, wouldn't it be best for us in the process of moving on? Why do we have such a difficulty accepting the inevitable, dealing with what's right in front of us – why can't we get over something we can do nothing to change? You guess we all just hope too much. Hope for the best, hope that he's still holding on when the truth is he's long gone. There's a fine line between faith and naivety, sometimes we're too in love to see that line and so blindly cross it. Because in every relationship there comes a point when the damage or the happiness is too much and no matter how good it once was or how bad it once was, the memories can't sustain you or they can't evaporate themselves from your brain. You have to save yourself knowing all the while it will hurt like hell, because you can't keep giving someone everything if you get nothing in return. This is the truth and no one sees it although its right in front of your eyes like a beacon warning you that there is trouble ahead.

At some point you will realize that you have done too much for someone, that the only next possible step to do is to stop. Leave them alone. Walk away. Especially when the other isn't doing what you want, or your not getting anything out of it. It's not like you're giving up, and it's not like you shouldn't try. It's just that you have to draw the line of determination from desperation. What is truly yours will eventually be yours, and what is not, no matter how hard you try, will never be. However the horrible truth behind it is that… sometimes you don't see the other person trying and they are. Sometimes that person just doesn't know how to explain their feels, or show them to you the way you want. So one person decides and ends it. But that other person? It's like the rug has been ripped right out from beneath their feet and they fell hitting their head on the concrete.

When the truth is ugly, people try to keep it hidden because they know if revealed, the damage it will do, so they conceal it within sturdy walls, or they place it behind closed doors or they obscure it with clever disguises; but truth, no matter how ugly, always emerges, and someone we care about always ends up getting hurt, and someone else will reveal their pain, and that's the ugliest truth of all. It's a fact of life, so deal.

It hurts to love like this and it hurts to lose like this. It's hell to feel the loss and to know that you'll keep giving until you break, and even when you do break, you'd still give some more. Finally, the giving becomes a taking. Finally, the love becomes a nightmare and it rends the very fiber of your being. It hurts to end it, but it hurts too much to continue, an empty shell, a husk hollow from the pain. That is what you've become, but never would I go back and do anything differently. Your mind becomes full of insecurities. "I needed to know that I meant something, anything to you." "Why don't you try as hard as I am?" "How can you give up so easily?" "How can you not care?" At first you feel as though it's your fault. Feeling like nothing, so close to falling apart. and then, in time, you come to the realization that you did nothing wrong. That it's his loss, that you are so much better without that one boy who didn't ever care. That she was the one who couldn't better you like you thought she could because she wasn't looking for the same things. You live and you learn, that's how it is.

Be thankful for every heartbreak. They come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave when you have discovered it. Their purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life. And you do. Oh you do, and there was no better person to understand this whole big mess than Merle Dixon.

He lived in a small house, with a shitty family life that took a hit at his heart every single day causing him to fold under when it started to get out of control. Not when it got tough, because he was a fighter and it was the only thing he knew. His father had seen to that with his whipping, harsh words, and other forms of abuse. He made sure that both of his sons were cut out for life, and where as baby brother, Daryl Dixon, became quiet and reserved by it all- Merle became a smart mouth that didn't take anyone's shit because he believed he could handle it. Which for the most part was true, physically he could take on anyone. He could pack a punch, fight with one hand, blindly, multiple men, and still be standing in the end. His fist, and strength was his true ability, like a superhero... only he wasn't a superhero in his eyes, he was more the villain. Where his fault was, was something closer to the source of his life, and that was his heart. His heart, his mind, and soul were no match for anyone, and this he knew so he kept an eye out to avoid conflict. There had been a few unpleasant incidents, but nothing he couldn't just curse at, and walk away.

The day he left home, leaving his brother, was the only thing he could do to get out of the trouble that he was in at home and avoid the hurt that was sure to come his way. So with nothing but the clothes on his back, and about sixty dollars, he headed as far away from home as he could hopping on a bus that took him from the hell hole town he lived in up to Atlanta, then up into rural Tennessee. As the bus drove, he slept wondering what the hell he was going to do now that he only had about twenty dollars. He knew he was going to need to get a job, but where was he going to live? He thought looking out the window to see a sign coming up.

"NEEDED: FARM HANDS, GREGORY RD, ABERNATHY FARMS"

He couldn't believe his luck. Thinks about a job, and he finds one right off the back, but what if they wanted that fancy resume crap that he didn't have? He wondered and stood up to talk to the bus driver to see if he would stop at Gregory Road or see if it was on the way, out of the way. He didn't know Tennessee land, but he was sure that he could figure something out. Usually farm hand jobs offered room and board, and from that he was more then certain he could save up money, and move in more to Tennessee or anywhere of his choosing. With a bit of luck, the driver was more than happy to drop him off where he needed and within half an hour the bus came to a rickety stop outside the gates that had iron horses running on a plate with the name "Abernathy Farms" on it.  
Merle looked around seeing horses grazing lazily at the ground around them, and then not too far off were there cows, and men on horses riding around. Now that he was here, he wasn't sure of what to do. Did he just walk up the dirt road to the main house and ask about the signs that he had saw? Did he have to apply? Like put in an application or something? He thought when a soft roar pulled him from his thoughts to see a bright yellow school bus heading down the road, right for where he was. When the thing came to a stop the doors opened and he watched a girl with bushy brown hair come out of the bus wearing a tight fitting flannel shirt, with low waist denim shorts folded up around her thighs, with white socks peeking out over the top of her boots. Her blue eyes flashed over to him, and she rose a brow as she walked over to him holding a Geometry book, English book, a binder, and a small book for pleasure reading.

"Can I help you?" She asked, causing him to become uncomfortable as she stood next to him giving him a look that read that she was wondering if he was lost, but then it changed in a split second as she gave him a smile flashing her pearl white teeth at him. "Haaedaen Abernathy." She said stretching out a hand to him.

He took it shaking it firmly, catching her off guard. "Merle Dixon." He said before explaining to her how he had came in from Georgia and saw a sign out about looking for a Farm Hand, by the look on her face, he was certain she was judging him again and he didn't like it. Those clear blue eyes were like water, calm and gentle at first then unexpecting rapid currents meant to sink you under.

"Well Pa usually likes older men, with big muscles on 'em." Haaedaen said softly and then circled him like a lioness stalking it's prey. "But he's been lookin' long and hard for a man to help out with the chores. So you'll do." She nodded matter of fact, and then started walking to the house. When she realized that he wasn't following her, she turned around walking backwards up hill. "Well aren't yah comin'?" She asked him with a small laugh to her voice.

Merle didn't know what to expect out of her, and that was damn frustrating, but he ended up following after her reminding himself that he wasn't here for the girl, that he was here for the job and the housing if it was available. He hadn't asked her about that when he was dishing out his small story from early, must have slipped his mind? He thought as they got closer to the white three story house.

"So Georgia?" Haaedaen said to make small talk looking over at him.

"What about it?" Merle asked defensively.

"Nothin' no need to jump up and get all crazy. Is it nice down there? Heard it's humid… lot's of gators and what not." She said drawling out on words with her small accent which Merle had to admit was pretty cute.

"Lot's of gators, lots of bugs, lots of dirt, not enough rain." He said looking back to the house so he didn't see her frown to his short unleading answer. Perhaps he wasn't good at communicating? She thought, that wouldn't do him no good with her daddy.

"Mama I'm home!" Haaedaen called out as she walked inside, bringing Merle with her. "Where's daddy? Got's himself a visitor looking to fill that Farm Hand job he been posting." She said and Merle watched as a woman with a long brown braid came out from the kitchen, and grabbed her daughter's face rubbing her nose on hers saying sweet things that Merle had never heard before.

That uncomfortable feeling started to set in, and before Merle could talk himself into leaving the woman walked out the front door, screen clicking behind her as she came out on the front porch. " Hiya darlin'. I'm Bethany but you just go ahead and call me Beth." she said sweetly and then laughed. "Bethany Abernathy." She sang, "Bethany Epiphany Abernathy." She sang making him chuckle. She was a little crazy, but he liked it. "You just come on in here." She said waving at him like one of those people who waved to a stray to come closer to them. "Earl will be in shortly." She said opening the door and walked in holding the door for him to walk in.

"Here it is mama." Haaedaen said coming down from the staircase, that Merle hadn't seen her vanish up in, carrying a spray bottle, and a couple brushes.

"Aw there we go!" Beth said clapping her hands moving to the couch. "Come on over here, ah… What is your name darlin'?" She asked putting a pillow on the ground which, Haaedaen moved to sit on as her mother took the hair ties she offered.

"Merle. Merle Dixon." He said walking over to where they were. He glanced around the room for a place to sit, before propping himself against the wall and then sunk down to the floor to watch what Beth was doing.

"Oh! Like Merle Haggard, I just love Merle Haggard, don't I? 'Guess I should find something good to say about this man who's won the farmer's daughter and will soon become my son-in-law today'." She said looking down to Haaedaen, who giggled a little embarrassed by her mother's singing but nodded as her mother dampened her hair with the spray bottle transforming Haaedaen from this bushy head teenage girl to an adorable young girl as her mother spilt her hair and then began braiding them in unusual way. "Fishtail."

Merle looked up too se Bethany looking at him still smiling, and braiding but not even looking. "It's a fishtail. I could see the question in those young eyes." She teased and then turned her attention down to her daughters hair who also smiled happily under her mother's care. For a moment, Merle wished he was a girl and could have his hair braided by a loving mother, but then the thought ran away as he thought of his father and how much worst his life would have been if he was a girl. He knew his father, and if he or Daryl had been a girl… They no dubitably would have been raped.

"Oh." He said dumbly looking away to look at the nice up kept home, nothing like the trashy one he came from only a few days ago. God he could get use to this kind of home. No trash, no mess, everything in a proper place, without a speck of dust to damage the clean and fresh look of the house. There were bookcases all along the room with plenty of books in them, although Merle didn't read, he thought it was a nice touch. There were flowers, pictures, and a lot of homey touches. It was obvious that a woman lived here. Or at least in his head it seemed that way because in his head he thought about his future looking like this, instead of the home his own mother never kept up, though it wasn't her fault that it was always a mess.

The more he thought about his own home, the harder he looked for the faults or the cracks in the home however the only thing he got was the wood panels of the floor didn't match up. Other then that everything looked damn good. He glanced over to watch Bethany finish the one braid, and he admired her work. That fish tail shit looked damn cool, he thought as Haaedaen looked up at him and gave him a pretty smile. Damn her and her smiles. He thought. He didn't smile.

"Baby!"

All three lifted their heads as the heavy click of boots ran along the wooden floor of the kitchen and then the living room as an older man with thick black hair appeared with a full face beard wearing a green flannel, and denim jeans looking mean as a bull dog. He looked at Merle, but he didn't do anything about it yet, first he leaned over the couch pulling on Beth's braid, before grabbing her chin and pressed a firm kiss to her lips. "Hey baby." He said lovingly. "Whatever your cookin' smells damn good, woman." he informed her, stroking his hand against her cheek getting lost in her eyes, before moving around the couch as Beth laughed shaking his head.

He stooped down grabbing Haaedaen's nose and then laughed, a deep thunder like sound, as he kissed her forehead when she lifted her head up.

"Hello Daddy." She said sweetly.

"Mmhmm." he answered her with a smile, going to sit on the coffee table.

"Ahem." Beth cleared her throat.

He looked up from his spot on the table to see Bethany giving him a narrow gaze behind bright green eyes that made him get up grumbling as he moved to the wicker chair only a few feet away. "Damn woman…" He grumbled looking at Merle for the first time since he entered the room.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" he bit out roughly. Nothing Merle wasn't already use to. If there was one thing to describe that man's voice it would be the sound of a old car's motor with a gritty twang to it like sand paper. He liked it, it was an improvement from the watery gurgle of his own father, the one sound that just made his skin crawl and his stomach tighten in anticipation of the next punch that would come.

"Ernest!"

"Pa!"

"What?!"

Just like that the man was under attack by the two women of the house, making Earl cross his arms over his chest shaking his head in distaste, and Merle to smirk. So this was what a family was like? Or well them fake families? He wondered before speaking up. "I was on the way in from Georgia, and I saw a sign saying you were looking for a farm hand." He said honestly.

"Know anything about farming?" Earl asked narrowing his eyes.

Merle nodded his head. "Don't got no references but I use to help out an old lady down the way feed her horses, and plant her crops until she died. Then another farmer but unfortunately he fell off his horse, and died of a major head injury." He watched Earl's eyes as that was the only thing you could see working. His face was almost unreadable.

"Seems like death follows you." Earl grumbled.

"Death is everywhere." Merle stated making him smirk and nod.

"That it is." He said. "I like my farm hands to stay at the main house third floor, can you do that? Got to go back to your parents or who ever you are staying with?" He asked him curiously leaning forward.

"No. I'm good to stay, and start working as soon as you want." Merle could feel the unspoken tension in the room now. Had he said something wrong? He thought.

"How old are you?" Earl asked straightening.

"Almost eighteen. About a month shy or it." Merle answered making Bethany gasp. When he looked over at her, she looked like she was about to cry, and Haaedaen looked as startled by the information.

"Did you finish school?"

Merle laughed half-heartedly, shaking his head. "um… no. But then again where I'm from, no one does. The closest high school is about 30 miles in from the boondocks. You're lucky if you able to get past the sixth grade. I got to the eighth." He said nodding his head.

The next thing he heard, confused him and it was Bethany making small noises that sounded like crying very softly. He looked over to her to see that she had finished Haaedaen's hair and had ran off to the kitchen shortly joined by her daughter. When he looked to Earl, he saw the look of pity. That damn look he hated. He could see he was causing trouble, and he didn't like that either so he shook his head hard standing up. "Look. I'm not looking for pity. I'm looking for a job. I'm looking for a way to get a good sturdy ground under my feet, and I'm a damn hard worker, but if I'm gunna cause trouble-" He began when Earl clapped him on the back.

"No son, don't go getting defensive." He said shaking his head. "The Miss's is just fragile, like most women. Don't mind her." He softly sighed and then reached down for Merle's hand. "You got the job fella'. You can start by helping set the table, and then tomorrow we can get you into knee deep work."

Merle smirked. "Sounds like a lot of fun." He said nodding his head.


End file.
